A Fateful Encounter (Zayn Malik fanfic)

Chapter 15

Zayn’s heart skipped a beat.

Today is my last day with you. Kept replaying in his mind. He gripped Ariella tighter, in a hold almost bruising to her soft skin. But he didn’t care. He wasn’t going to let her get taken from him. Not when he just found her. Too often did she fly under his radar, trying to escape. But she wasn’t leaving now.

Mine.

His mind screamed. He loved her. Zayn Malik, who swore off ever getting too close, had finally admitted that he loved her. And he would spend an eternity in hell before he gave her up.

‘No.’ he said. Simply and firmly. ‘I don’t think so.’

‘What?’ Ariella asked her body tensing in what he interpreted to be tension, when in fact it was excitement. ‘You mean, wait…what?’ she whispered, her voice catching and her eyes glazing with tears.

‘Look at me, Ariella. The moment we made this official, you’re mine. And you’re not leaving me for anything. Or anyone. Got that?’ he said deeply.

Slowly she inhaled. ‘Zayn, I can’t do that.’ She whispered, her voice mild and soft.

‘Why the hell not!?’ he shouted, swearing under his breath.

His mind was racing on and he visualised years to come. Lonely years without Ariella. No way was that going to happen. No f-ing way.

He watched her face flinch and hated any form of pain inflicted upon her. Cursing because it was his fault, he muttered in an agonized voice, full of longing, ‘Please Ariella.’ His voice softer and more gentle.

Her body instantly relaxed and he could feel her mood shift.

‘You’re right.’ She said. Words spoken so quietly he wasn’t sure he had heard them right.

‘Come again?’ he asked.

‘You’re right Zayn. My whole life I’ve been running. I’ve avoided anything and everything at all costs that caused me pain. I suppose pain is weakness in my mind and I put on a cold front. Ever since my mum left, I had to be strong. For dad, and Alec. I never questioned this, I just was. And after the Drew thing, I just ah- I just can’t handle it anymore. I can’t be strong’.

Her voice was pained and heart-breaking. The forlorn note brought a lump in his throat and she started crying. The tears kept coming and the more he noticed she tried to calm herself, the more they came. She needed this. As much as he was torn with heartache and love for the girl in his arms, he had to give her the support she gave out so freely to others, but not herself. She was by far the most selfless person he had ever met.

In that moment, Zayn Malik swore he would never let anything come between them.

Between the sobs and the hiccups, she faced up at him and asked brokenly yet somehow more exquisite than ever, ‘What will we do?’

‘Babe, you’re staying with me, and as long as you are, you’ll be safe. Trust me.’ He replied, focussing all of his love for her in that one sentence.

She nodded with her head against his chest, so it bumped his chin gently. Leaning down he pressed a warm kiss to her hair, breathing in the smell of her shampoo. His Ariella.

‘Let’s get you cleaned up first’ he urged and lifted her up into his arms to carry her to his bathroom. He knew her well enough to know this would be the point that she complained and blushed and told him she could walk herself. Instead, however, she just lay limp and drained in his arms, and that’s what worried him most.

‘Hey? Do you want to watch another Disney film? We can find one or I could run out and-‘

‘Nu uh Zayn. It’s fine, really. I promise.’